Dubai, 15 March 2017

Miebach Con­sult­ing opens new of­fice in Dubai

Miebach Consulting supports their clients locally from their new location in Dubai since early 2017. Dramatic growth in the consumer goods, after sales, manufacturing, retail and pharmaceutical industries in the region during the past...

Miebach Consulting supports their clients locally from their new location in Dubai since early 2017. Dramatic growth in the consumer goods, after sales, manufacturing, retail and pharmaceutical industries in the region during the past few years has fueled the need for cost-efficient and state-of-the-art supply chains and warehouses significantly.

The office in Dubai will be managed by Julian Maasmann, General Manager, Miebach Consulting DMCC. He has previously advised national and international clients in supply chain network as well as warehouse planning projects.

“Our supply chain engineering team in Dubai supports local and global companies and collaborates closely with our office in Saudi Arabia. The strategic positioning of this location benefits our clients in the entire Gulf region and extends our presence in Middle East, Africa and Asia” says Julian Maasmann.

With the new location the number of offices within the Miebach Group increases to 24. “The goal of the internationalization is to provide optimal consulting services to our customers within a worldwide network based on global standards. We are glad that our offered services are being well received and we are looking forward to a positive business development of the Miebach group” – Jürgen Hess, CEO of the Miebach Consulting Group.

For further information regarding the new office in Dubai and any interest in project collaboration please contact Julian Maasmann (maasmann@miebach.com).

Further News

España, 19 December 2017

Picking Farma is a specialized 3PL that manages distribution for various renowned pharmaceutical companies. The company has four warehouses, located in Parets del Vallès, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda and Polinyà, which have a total area of...

Picking Farma is a specialized 3PL that manages distribution for various renowned pharmaceutical companies. The company has four warehouses, located in Parets del Vallès, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda and Polinyà, which have a total area of ​​41,700 m2 and a storage capacity of approximately 70,000 pallets, 3,000 of them at a controlled temperature of + 02ºC to + 08ºC.

Miebach Consulting has designed the picking system for the company's newest distribution center located in Polinyà, which has a total area of ​​12,900 m2 and a preparation capacity of 40,000 order lines per day. It is one of the more technologically advanced medications supply logistics centers in Southern Europe.

The project developed by Miebach Consulting includes technological innovations with a high degree of automation that ensure an optimum service quality and complete traceability in order preparation. Additionally, the innovations make it easier for Picking Farma to personalize the specific verification and packaging requirements of each of its customers.

Poland, 29 November 2017

Ross­mann so­lid­i­fies mar­ket lead­er­ship in Eastern Europe

Rossmann maintains their leading position in the drugstore market in Eastern Europe, especially in Poland where it is number 1. The renewed expansion of their logistics and distribution center in Lodz, Poland, is further proof of this...

Rossmann maintains their leading position in the drugstore market in Eastern Europe, especially in Poland where it is number 1. The renewed expansion of their logistics and distribution center in Lodz, Poland, is further proof of this leadership.

The expansion project was planned by Rossmann's logistics department in cooperation with logistics planners from the Miebach Consulting office in Katowice, who received further support from the simulation team of Miebach Germany. The project consisted of a nine-aisle high-bay warehouse for the direct handling of drugstore market-specific roller containers. It functions as a dynamic buffer with an integrated conveyor system to the goods-out area for subsequent routing and delivery.

Within the high-bay warehouse which is linked to goods receipt and commissioning, the supply is covered by an extensive pallet floor conveyor, consisting of 40 vehicles for a double roller container handling each.

A dynamic shuttle mini-load system buffers the picked order containers with a sequenced retrieval, followed by a fully-automated loading process into the roller containers in the buffer of the high-bay goods-out area for the final route planning.

The general contractor commissioned for this project, Aberle GmbH located in Leingarten, also provided the Aberle PMS software for a new, continuous IT level consisting of a material flow and warehouse management computer as well as a new system visualization.

With this ambitious project, Rossmann solidifies its market leadership in Eastern Europe.

USA, 13 November 2017

“Sizing the prize” is a term commonly used by management to define a dollar amount that will reflect how significant their benefits will be as a result of change in strategies. While this method can be used for any number of potential...

“Sizing the prize” is a term commonly used by management to define a dollar amount that will reflect how significant their benefits will be as a result of change in strategies. While this method can be used for any number of potential changes within an organization, it is becoming increasingly valuable for inventory optimization. Companies across a wide range of industries can benefit from this type of evaluation.

Recently, a client requested such a study from Miebach Consulting - the primary goal was to maximize savings by changing only their inventory policies. The study included distribution centers in multiple countries within the same region and the analysis had to be replicable for facilities in other countries or regions. A key consideration was that certain inventory policies varied by country, while others are global standards set by the planning team, which brought additional complexity to the project.

The Miebach team used several scenarios to study the impact for both safety stock and cycle stock levels. The scenarios were evaluated independently and consisted of adjusting service levels, lead times for manufacturing, and modes of transportation.

First, the SKUs were grouped into A-B-C categories according to demand and revenue, assigning different service levels prioritizing the high demand and high revenue items. The second scenario considered segmentation of items based on demand and variability; different corresponding manufacturing lead times were then assigned. The third considered using intermediate product as part of safety stock levels, which greatly reduced the lead time. Finally, the last scenario studied the impact of changing transportation modes.

The next step in the process was to provide the client with a detailed optimization of a preselected combination of scenarios, including simulation runs to validate the savings and test the policies. Utilizing LLamasoft’s Supply Chain Guru, capable of performing such an exercise, Miebach’s team of skilled modelers will provide this management team with actionable data to make changes impacting the overall bottom line.

Results from the scenarios were in inventory reduction (inventory quantity by inventory value) and inventory carrying cost savings (inventory reduction by total holding cost) of the inventory balance. Clustering SKUs into A-B-C categories and adjusting service levels and adjusting manufacturing lead time depending on SKU demand and variability both resulted in inventory reductions and inventory carrying cost savings. Switching transportation modes would cause a minor increase in average inventory, however these costs are offset by savings in transportation, going from air freight to ocean freight.

Overall, the various solutions provided inventory reductions of 5-25% and annual inventory savings between $2-8M.

As this project illustrates, the experts at Miebach are highly skilled at assisting companies to identify areas within their organization to optimize inventory levels. While “sizing the prize” is a popular place to start the process of inventory optimization to identify potential cost savings, the detailed analysis and our robust suite of proprietary tools enable us to confidently provide advice to our clients on strategy changes, including real-world variability in the scenarios. Additionally, the models developed by the Miebach team as part of the project can be handed over to the client for their future use as part of their planning process for potential future changes.

For further information on this project, please contact Angelica Rodriguez at rodrigueza@miebach.com

España, 07 November 2017

Würth Spain, part of the Würth Group, a world leader in the supply of mounting materials, requested the services of Miebach Consulting for the expansion of its distribution center located in Agoncillo, La Rioja,, which will centralize...

Würth Spain, part of the Würth Group, a world leader in the supply of mounting materials, requested the services of Miebach Consulting for the expansion of its distribution center located in Agoncillo, La Rioja,, which will centralize all order preparation activities in Spain.

The project, initiated in July 2015, has consisted in the transformation of an existing facility, designed 15 years earlier as a regional distribution center. The redesign has taken into account the current requirements of business, resulting from the process of centralization of activities in Spain, as well as the forecast of future enlargements, in accordance with the strategic plan for Würth’s long term growth. The extension designed by Miebach includes the gradual incorporation of cutting-edge technology in the process of picking, verification and final packaging of the orders.

Specifically, the project included the construction of a new building for the receipt and dispatch of goods, as well as an automatic warehouse with capacity for more than 15,000 pallets, including an area for full case picking. Additionally, the existing order preparation line has been significantly remodeled, increasing its production capacity and including the automation for processes of verification and sealing the orders.

The project developed by Miebach Consulting has also included the transformation of the Master Plan of the Distribution Center, with new facility access for both staff and inbound trucks, as well as new parking areas on the property.

This expansion of the Agoncillo facility will allow Würth to manage the expected growth in the upcoming years with a significant improvement of customer service.

USA, 01 November 2017

A well-known manufacturer of active outdoor apparel, with a distribution center in North America was nearing the end of its lease. Faced with multiple concerns about their ability to meet their 5-year planning horizon goals, they...

A well-known manufacturer of active outdoor apparel, with a distribution center in North America was nearing the end of its lease. Faced with multiple concerns about their ability to meet their 5-year planning horizon goals, they requested assistance from Miebach Consulting to evaluate the existing facility, propose changes to operational procedures based on business needs, and provide a recommendation for renewing the lease or selecting a new location. Due to the impending expiration, Miebach and the client needed to work quickly to find answers.

Three primary concerns were identified as the core of the transformation:

Increasing staging areas for both inbound and outbound – This is a frequent issue in warehouses, and insufficient space for staging can cause a domino-effect of inefficiency that impacts all areas of the facility.

Eliminating storage of mixed load units – Mixed pallets caused a great deal of difficulty in a facility of this size. A new strategy needed to be identified that is space-efficient yet more accessible.

Improving picking efficiency – Multi-order picking strategies had traditionally worked because it was feasible in a smaller warehouse and picking was only for retail or wholesale orders. The growth of e-commerce orders in recent years, however, made this strategy extremely inefficient in the larger space that was now required.

After a thorough evaluation, Miebach had outlined a solution that would relieve all of these pressure points. Due to the time constraints, it was recommended that the client use a phased approach to implement the changes.

First, they moved to a new facility that allowed them to customize the space and layout to accommodate growth and future improvements. Because of the upcoming peak season, the decision was made to move the operations as-is and wait to implement equipment and procedural changes during a valley in productivity, but to make the switch from mixed pallet to single carton storage immediately. This approach also allowed the client to spread out the necessary investment for the overall project.

Once the peak season had passed, the layout and procedural changes were initiated. The space was reconfigured to optimize flows, and automation was added in the outbound area with a sorter. Finally, the transition from multi-order picking to batch picking was implemented, which not only increased the picking efficiency, but also eliminated redundant quality check processes.

To date, the client has achieved multiple results from the transformation, most notably:

The results from the changes made to the facility and operations strategy have exceeded the client’s projections and expectations. They’ve increased efficiency and flexibility in all order fulfillment areas – for retail stores, for wholesale partners, and for e-commerce clients.

For further information about this project, please contact Bastian Himmeroeder at himmeroeder@miebach.com

The Material Handling Industry Association held their annual conference in Boca Raton Oct 2-4 Based on the 2017 MHI Annual Report, the content of the conference focused on:

Industry 4.0

Building the Future Supply Chain Workforce

The Current and Future State of Distribution Center Technology

Marketing in the Supply Chain Industry

“Participation at the event has been growing in recent years, and was evident by the many ‘new attendee’ badges seen throughout the three days,” commented Tom Zoehrer, Principal with Miebach Consulting who represented our company at the conference.

In addition to the Industry Group Meetings, attendees had the opportunity to attend a panel discussion on DCs of the Future, a roundtable on Creating and Implementing Workforce Development Solutions, a keynote presentation on Understanding Disruptive Innovations and a session titled, Beyond Customer Service: Creating Meaningful Customer Experiences for Your Brand.

“The pace of new technologies entering the market is breathtaking, vendors inventing and reinventing at an enormous speed," Zoherer remarked. "It’s becoming much more affordable to incorporate modern technologies, like sensorics and robotics. With all these new technologies, the one question all participants shared was ‘WHICH one will be the technology of the future’?”

USA, 30 September 2017

CSCMP Edge Con­fer­ence Review

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals held their annual conference in Atlanta Sept 24-27 with a new name: CSCMP EDGE, which better reflects their leading-edge content and cutting-edge supply chain solutions.

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals held their annual conference in Atlanta Sept 24-27 with a new name: CSCMP EDGE, which better reflects their leading-edge content and cutting-edge supply chain solutions.

The over 100 educational sessions on real-world strategies and transformative supply chains included Integrated Supply Chain Roundtable Discussions, Omnichannel – Not Just a Retail Challenge, Changing Dynamics of Distribution Requirements, Legal Best Practices for Integrated Supply Chains, and The Hurricane Crisis: A Nation Responds. While in the Supply Chain Exchange Exhibition, hundreds of vendors gathered to showcase the latest technologies and trends in the industry.

Attendees came to the show from 39 countries around the world representing a wide range of industries, primarily food and beverage, retail, and consumer goods. Over 45% of the attendees had a seniority level of Vice President or higher in their organization, and companies in attendance included Amazon, Boeing, Procter & Gamble, Disney, Coca-Cola and Nike.

SupplyChainBrain, one of the most comprehensive supply chain management information resources in the industry, has listed Miebach Consulting among the top 100 Great Supply Chain Partners of 2017.

SupplyChainBrain's annual list is the result of an online poll in which supply chain professionals from a variety of industries were asked to nominate vendors and service providers whose technology, logistics, transportation or consulting solutions have improved their company's efficiency, customer service and overall supply chain performance.

“For 15 years running, SupplyChainBrain has published our much-anticipated list of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners — a select group of companies whose customers recognize them for providing outstanding solutions and services.

Our six-month online poll of supply chain professionals requires a qualified response, asking them to nominate vendors and service providers whose solutions have made a significant impact on their company’s efficiency, customer service and overall supply chain performance.

This year’s field of nominees was abundant and very strong, hailing from all aspects of supply chain management. Your company should be proud to be named amongst the 100 Great!"

~ Brad Berger, Publisher, SupplyChainBrain

SupplyChainBrain receives thousands of qualified responses nominating several hundred companies. The final list includes the 100 companies that received the most nominations. In the case of ties, the nominations with the most detailed justification were selected. The list is published in the July/August 2017 issue.

"We are very proud to have received such recognition from our clients. It is a reflection of our commitment to excellence in our engagements," remarked Jochen Schuehle, CEO of Miebach USA and Canada.

"To have received such accolades from our clients is very gratifying. We work very hard to ensure their success in their respective industries, and for them to in turn promote our success is indeed the ultimate in recognition.”

Germany, 04 July 2017

Swiss Post ex­pands its ware­houses net to meet e-com­merce growth

The company responsible for the national postal service of Switzerland, Swiss Post, is setting the course for the future regarding their package processing, investing in the construction of three new regional parcel centers in the...

The company responsible for the national postal service of Switzerland, Swiss Post, is setting the course for the future regarding their package processing, investing in the construction of three new regional parcel centers in the cantons of Valais, Ticino and Graubünden. The company is responding to the strong growth in e-commerce and increasing customer demands, especially the expectations regarding the deliveries of purchases as soon as possible.

Miebach Consulting has supported the Swiss Post in strategy development and will also be part of the realization team for the new regional logistics centers.

"The three new regional package centers will meet the most important challenges in a dynamic and evolving package market - acceleration of the processing times as well as an improvement of the services offered. By reducing lead times along the process chain the order processing time window can also be expanded and thus, in the entire network more quantity can be processed." - said Rainer Schulz, CEO Miebach Consulting Switzerland about the project.

The parcel market is growing strongly

In 2016, Swiss Post delivered nearly 122 million parcels, which corresponds to a growth of about 6 % compared with 2015. The main driver of this is the increase of the e-commerce, which at the same time has provoked another increase: the online customers want their packages delivered on the same day they have ordered. This means an increase of the priority packets demands - in 2016, the share of same day delivery surpassed 50 percent for the first time, while 15 years ago it was only 20 percent.

Titus Butler, head of the package center in Frauenfeld and project manager for the project at the Swiss Post says: "We expect continued strong growth in e-commerce. To meet the expected demand also after 2020 completely, we set the course for the future for package processing with the construction of the new regional package centers."

Germany, 27 June 2017

In today's globalized world of business, the ever-increasing requirements of customers regarding products and services has led to a new trend - nearshoring, which allows the companies to respond to customer needs with shorter delivery...

In today's globalized world of business, the ever-increasing requirements of customers regarding products and services has led to a new trend - nearshoring, which allows the companies to respond to customer needs with shorter delivery times and greater flexibility. Miebach Consulting has conducted an international study on this topic to determine how supply chains are affected by current and future shoring strategies, to evaluate the factors for shoring decisions and to show what shoring trends companies expect in the future.

One of the main conclusions of the study is that an increasing amount of companies (51 % of the participants) are producing in closer proximity to their markets instead of moving the production abroad. The study also shows that this percentage is going to increase even more, since 26 % of the participating companies believe that nearshoring is a trend that is going to have a very high or high relevance in a near future, above the offshoring and the onshoring or local production (22 % and 17 %, respectively). See figure 1.

Asked more in detail about which localization strategy they would choose and where they would like to implement it in the future, respondents pointed out that in Europe the preferred strategy will be nearshoring (69%), in America Onshoring will strengthen (43%), while offshoring is still a major trend in Asian countries (67%). See figure 2.

"Modern production processes ensure a stronger focus on customers and can be a competitive advantage given the right location strategy. This is where Near- and Onshoring become more important for companies. Especially the population within the major economic regions can benefit from job creation due to production in proximity to markets." - Bernd Müller-Dauppert, Member of the Management Board, Miebach Consulting GmbH.

The study participants expect an increase in supply chain complexity due to Near- and Onshoring trends. The process of choosing an optimal shoring strategy and subsequently selecting the ideal location therefore requires an integrated consideration of both supply chain and production networks.

In all, 127 companies from various sectors took part in the study. Around 1/3 of participants are from North and South America and 2/3 are from Europe.

The complete study brochure can be obtained for free from Miebach Consulting, Ralf Hoffmann (hoffmann@miebach.com).

Gallery

Gallery

Honeycomb storage: the honeycomb storage consists of 1800 storage compartments for Geberit’s pipes. Within the storage system two stacker cranes are responsible for automatic storage and retrieval.

Automation: the material flow technology of the logistics center is designed with an ideally aligned level of automation and human work.

Efficient and ergonomically: the logistics system is based on state of the art technology and due to individual configurations it is ideally embedded into the Geberit processes. The integrated technology, such as scanner gloves, assists employees.

Future-proof: the flexible design of modern work stations is a key condition tob e able respond to customer demands.

Efficient and integrated: Geberit uses very efficient and integrated workflows. As an example at one work station three work steps – picking, packing and composing – are done in one process.

Germany, 05 April 2017

Geberit has significantly expanded the existing logistics center in Pfullendorf, South Germany and the extension building just began operations. In order to drive the centralization further forward, Geberit invested 40 million Euro in...

Geberit has significantly expanded the existing logistics center in Pfullendorf, South Germany and the extension building just began operations. In order to drive the centralization further forward, Geberit invested 40 million Euro in the capacity expansion. A concept for storing tubes with a length of up to 6 meters as well as new automated work areas and workplace types were also implemented. Miebach Consulting supported the project as general planner during the concept planning, implementation and go-live phases.

Due to these site extensions the Geberit group is able to supply their customers in a highly efficient and reliable way. The flexible logistics system and in-depth logistics know-how allow for quick reactions to the ever-changing logistics challenges. Thus the logistics center is now consistent with the company's growth course.

"Six years ago Miebach Consulting began supporting us during the planning and implementation phase of our central warehouse. They convinced us again with exceptionally good expertise, efficient interdisciplinary interface, and project management in the extension project. Thanks to the good collaboration of all parties the project was implemented successfully within time and budget limits", says Ralf Braun, Head of Logistics - Geberit Logistik GmbH.

Hendrik Weiß, project manager on the part of Miebach Consulting, adds: "The success of the extension building depended on a high level of communication and coordination between the different trades and the logistics areas for pallets, containers and long goods. As general planner we functioned as central contact within the project and managed to minimize the project risk as well as to achieve an optimal overall solution".

Focus on efficiencyRegarding the flows of goods, the logistics center is located in an ideal spot for supplying their customers in a most efficient way from both economic and ecological point of view. For this purpose, the goods are being pooled in the production plants and transported to Pfullendorf in trucks. There, automated and coordinated processes are responsible for consolidating the deliveries of goods and supplying the customers reliably on time. All processes were optimized and adjusted to the needs of customers, suppliers and Geberit plants as well as to internal workflows.

Long goods newly sent from PfullendorfThe expansion of the logistics center also allows for dispatching all products of Geberit Mapress piping systems from Pfullendorf. A whole new concept for storing, commissioning and dispatching has been developed. The overall concept also includes an automated small parts warehouse, a new high-bay warehouse, a process surface area with fully automated workplaces and the extension of the dispatching area. Thus the logistics infrastructure is located on a total area of 60.000 square meters.

About GeberitThe globally operating Geberit Group is a European leader in the field of sanitary products. Geberit operates as an integrated group with a very strong local presence in most European countries, providing unique added value when it comes to sanitary technology and bathroom ceramics. The production network encompasses 33 production facilities, of which 6 are located overseas. The Group is headquartered in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. With around 12,000 employees in more than 40 countries, Geberit generates net sales of CHF 2.8 billion in 2016. The Geberit shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange; since 2012, the Geberit share has been included in the SMI (Swiss Market Index).

Miebach Consulting is pleased to have been included in Gartner's Market Guide for Supply Chain Strategy and Operations Consulting.

The Market Guide for Supply Chain Strategy and Operations Consulting offers a source for senior supply chain executives to obtain research needed to select their consulting partner for successful mission critical initiatives. The 2017 report was written by Michael Dominy, Kamala Raman and Greg Aimi.

While the report covers many aspects of supply chain that are of concern to executives, Miebach is included in the category of supply chain operations consulting, a subgroup of general business operations consulting. Gartner defines this as "transformation advisory services for all business operations in an organization across all industries. These include process re-engineering, improvement, optimization, and standardization aligned with business strategy."

Jochen Schuehle, Managing Director and President of Miebach US remarked, "We are delighted to have been included with the companies Gartner has evaluated as part of this report. Miebach is proud to have provided value for our clients over the last four decades."

USA, 01 March 2017

Con­nect with Miebach at ProMat 2017

Manufacturing and supply chain professionals from all over the world will come together to find solutions to take their supply chain to the next level of success at this year's ProMat, held at Chicago's McCormick Place April 3-6. Over...

Manufacturing and supply chain professionals from all over the world will come together to find solutions to take their supply chain to the next level of success at this year's ProMat, held at Chicago's McCormick Place April 3-6. Over 850 solution providers will showcase their latest technologies, offer hands-on demonstrations, and foster business partnerships and networking.

Visit Miebach in Booth #S3683 - if you'd like to set up a private appointment with one of our experts, please fill out our Contact form.

Be sure to join us on for our presentation "Designing the Ideal Supply Chain Network for the Future", co-presented by LLamasoft. In our discussion, we'll share best practices and case studies on how to take strategic business plans, develop them into future supply chain requirements, and design a solution that will support the needs of tomorrow.

The seminar will be presented twice:

Wednesday April 5, 3-3:45pm, Theater C

Thursday April 6, 10:30-11:15am, Theater I

Additionally, ProMat attendees have the opportunity to gain access to the neighboring show – Automate 2017 – at no additional charge or registration! Here you’ll find automation solutions that can make your operations function more profitably.

Germany, 24 February 2017

LogiMAT, the international trade fair for distribution, materials handling and information flow, will welcome visitors from 14 - 16 March 2017. International exhibitors and decision-makers from industry, trade and the service sector...

LogiMAT, the international trade fair for distribution, materials handling and information flow, will welcome visitors from 14 - 16 March 2017. International exhibitors and decision-makers from industry, trade and the service sector will be coming together at the new exhibition center at Stuttgart Airport to discuss logistics innovations and to find new business partners.

Miebach Consulting will be again part of this logistics fair. We are looking forward to your visit at our booth in hall 3, No. 3C08.

A highlight of this year’s Miebach booth will be the topic virtual reality in logistics - which will be presented "hands on" and discussed on all three event days at the Miebach booth.

Furthermore we invite you to discuss the following industry and supply chain specific topics with our experts:

France, 20 February 2017

Miebach Con­sult­ing opens new of­fice in France

Miebach Consulting, one of the leading international supply chain consulting firms, strengthens its European presence by opening a new office in France. Miebach has been supporting French companies for many years but always with the...

Miebach Consulting, one of the leading international supply chain consulting firms, strengthens its European presence by opening a new office in France. Miebach has been supporting French companies for many years but always with the teams from other regional offices such as Spain and Germany. Due to the increasing market opportunities, the global supply chain consultancy has decided to open an office in Paris to better support clients in the country.

The France office will be managed by Philippe Lavoué, who has more than 20 years of experience as a consultant and engineer in supply chain. He has managed more than 80 projects related to supply chain strategy and warehouse design. His consultant experience includes multiple freight and public railway projects, as well as urban logistics and public transportation.

Mr. Lavoué said: “Miebach Consulting is a unique group in Europe: 320 logistics engineers and consultants all over the world and now in France. We can meet the expectations of the leading groups or of the local companies about the European or Global strategic topics. In the same way, we are able to implement projects abroad with more efficient project teams for analysis, tendering, planning and ramp up”.

Established in Germany in 1973, Miebach Consulting provides services across the end-to-end supply chain and has developed nearly 10,000 successful supply chain projects and solutions. The company's global network and multi-sector experience provides an unrivaled strength and depth of knowledge for formulating innovative solutions to customer supply chain challenges. Miebach employs a worldwide network of experts with local knowledge, both sector and functional, to support projects. The company's 21 office locations include Katowice in Poland, Barcelona, Milan, Indianapolis, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, etc., as well as a head office in Frankfurt.

Germany, 31 January 2017

What are the suc­cess factors of out­sourcing? In­vit­a­tion to take part in our sur­vey

In cooperation with the German logistics newspaper "DVZ" Miebach Consulting conducts the seventh edition of its outsourcing study for logistics experts from industrial and service companies and invites you to participate in the online...

In cooperation with the German logistics newspaper "DVZ" Miebach Consulting conducts the seventh edition of its outsourcing study for logistics experts from industrial and service companies and invites you to participate in the online survey until February 28th.

The objective of the study is to identify the current status, criteria and approaches as well as success factors of logistics outsourcing.

‘We’ve been conducting our outsourcing study at regular intervals for 20 years. The achieved results are therefore not only representing a temporary ‘outsourcing barometer’ but are rather indicating long term market trends and providing orientation as well as factual knowledge which is crucial in emotional discussions’ – says Dr. Klaus-Peter Jung, member of the management board.

It takes approximately 15 minutes of your time to fill out the online questionnaire. Please be assured that we will treat your information absolutely confidential and will only use it in anonymized form. In return for your participation, respondents will receive the complete results report. The links below will lead you the branch specific questionnaires:

India, 03 January 2017

The international vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, India, has awarded Miebach India with a certification of appreciation for their contribution in planning and realizing a new spare parts...

The international vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, India, has awarded Miebach India with a certification of appreciation for their contribution in planning and realizing a new spare parts distribution centre in Jaipur, Rajasthan

The new regional distribution centre for the company's spare parts business unit was inaugurated by Dr. Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., on 21 November 2016. During the opening ceremony he awarded Miebach with the certification of appreciation for designing and realizing the state-of-the-art PDC. He tweeted saying "Impressed with the scale, process and technology" after the inauguration of the facility.

Jaipur regional parts distribution centre measures up to 20,000 square metres will serve approximately 700 customers. The conceptualization to realization of the facility happened over a period of 26 months with an investment of 18 million USD. The state-of-the-art facility has achieved same day fulfilment of orders at double the productivity, one-third error rates and ~ 15% to 20% better storage density in comparison to their existing distribution centres.

For more information about the project please contact Sriram Venkataramanan (sriram@miebach.com).

About Mahindra & Mahindra:

Mahindra and Mahindra Limited is an Indian multinational automobile manufacturing corporation headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is one of the largest vehicle manufacturers by production in India and one of the largest manufacturer of tractors in the world. It is a part of Mahindra Group, an Indian conglomerate. Please find more information about the company here.

Germany, 01 December 2016

Schaeffler in­vests 120 mil­lion euros in cent­ral ware­house

Schaeffler is modernizing the logistics of its industry division, optimizing processes and increasing delivery capability in order to supply their customers even faster and more reliably. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new central...

Schaeffler is modernizing the logistics of its industry division, optimizing processes and increasing delivery capability in order to supply their customers even faster and more reliably. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new central warehouse in Kitzingen symbolizes the achievement of the next milestone. Miebach Consulting supported the logistics and construction planning and will also provide support during the implementation phase.

In order to be able to supply their customers faster and more reliably Schaeffler is building a new logistics center in Kitzingen. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on the 5th October in ConneKT-Park and was carried out by representatives from Schaeffler and the involved companies Max Bögl/Mauss Bau (ARGE) and SSI Schäfer as well as Stefan Güntner, the mayor of Kitzingen.

Oliver Jung, Director of Production, Logistics and Purchasing at Schaeffler, stated, "We chose Kitzingen as the new site for our central warehouse due to the good location factors. We're currently picking up momentum."

The first customer deliveries will probably start mid-2018. Around 200 people will be employed in the new central warehouse. The total sum of investments is about 120 million euros.

"The new central warehouse in Kitzingen is the final component of our logistics project in the industry division. Our goal is to modernize the logistics activities particularly in the industry section, to optimize existing processes and to increase our delivery performance", said project manager Gregor Luft.

"During the conception of the new distribution center we focused on ergonomic and efficient workplaces as well as modular expandability", reported Miebach Consulting project controller Christian Bauersfeld.

Headquarters of European warehouse network

The new Schaeffler central warehouse will be the headquarters location of Schaeffler's European warehouse network. So far, there are already two central warehouses in the European Distribution Center (EDC) network: one located in Arlandastad (Sweden), to serve Northern Europe, the other one located in Carisio, Italy, to distribute to South Europe. The DC in Sweden opened in March 2015 whereas the DC in Italy was put into operation in May 2016. Both warehouses have been supplying their customers faster and more reliably ever since.

The new distribution center in Kitzingen has a floor space of 15.000 square meters, part of which is built on a mezzanine, offering an overall storage space of 22.000 square meters. The high-bay warehouse with a height of 38 meters and 28.000 pallet bays and the automated tote warehouse with 93.000 container spaces are connected with the combined Pick & Pack workplaces via an in-floor conveyor system. Schaeffler's standard products will be ready for delivery within 24 to 48 hours after receipt of order. Customer orders can be dispatched up to two hours before the departure of trucks.

The next steps

Earth works and civil engineering will take place during the upcoming months and a roofing ceremony is planned for May 2017. The official opening is scheduled for the end of 2017.

USA, Canada, 03 November 2016

Nearshor­ing Study Ex­pands to In­clude US and Canada

Increasing customer demands on product and service in today's globalized society are creating a new trend: nearshoring. The more localized production within the framework of nearshoring enables companies to respond to customer needs...

Increasing customer demands on product and service in today's globalized society are creating a new trend: nearshoring. The more localized production within the framework of nearshoring enables companies to respond to customer needs with shorter delivery times and higher flexibility.

Miebach Consulting began conducting a survey in July in Europe and Latin America to explore how the supply chain can be aligned to implement nearshoring efficiently. The study assesses the relevant factors for supporting the decision and give an outlook on future tendencies.

Due to the nature of the early findings, Miebach has expanded the survey to include the US and Canada to gather additional information from companies in this geographic region.

Market participants in the logistics and manufacturing industries are encouraged to take part in this survey. The online questionnaire will take about 15 minutes to complete. All submitted information is strictly confidential and will serve exclusively as base of data for the empirical part of our anonymized study. The survey will be available until end of November 2016. Link to online questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.de/r/NearShoringCNDandUS

In return for your participation, respondents will receive the complete results report.

México, 29 July 2016

NEW OPERATING MODEL FOR L'Oréal DISTRIBUTION CENTER

L'Oréal is a global leader in the production and distribution of cosmetics and personal care products, present in 140 countries with a unique portfolio of 32 international and complementary brands. Currently L'Oreal Mexico is...

L'Oréal is a global leader in the production and distribution of cosmetics and personal care products, present in 140 countries with a unique portfolio of 32 international and complementary brands. Currently L'Oreal Mexico is conducting a reengineering project at its distribution center, also known as Centrex, with the aim of extending its life by increasing storage density, since its current storage capacity cannot meet the increase estimated by the business units flows. In this situation, the company requested a proposal from Miebach Consulting professional services to determine the new operating model of the distribution center for the next 10 years at lower cost.

The project was divided into three stages, first to determine the base size for the next 10 years and evaluating alternative reductions in Centrex stock by creating regional warehouses or by separating business units.

Subsequently, 2 storage techniques were chosen to handle the products of the 5 divisions found in Centrex: 16% of the positions will remain as a simple selective for goods exported to box level, 1% for flammable products and the remaining 83% narrow technique for storage of products of the 5 divisions hall was recommended.

A new area will also be implemented in Centrex to double the picking unit, which will result in increased picking fronts and release positions in racks to implement the technique mentioned above narrow corridor.

The last stage is the implementation plan, in 4 phases over the next 10 years. For each year the investments required by L'Oreal Mexico and for each phase activities and modifications to the operation necessary for the implementation of the proposed techniques mentioned are outlined.

As a result of the project, a storage technique which allows an increase of at least 20% in the pallet storage capacity in selected positions. Also, the new operating model will allow a reduction of up to 25% of the projected cost per unit processed in Centrex.

Germany, 28 July 2016

Start of the Miebach sur­vey on nearshor­ing

The ever-growing customer demands on product and service in today's globalized society are the reason for a new trend: nearshoring. The local production within the framework of nearshoring enables companies to respond to customer needs...

The ever-growing customer demands on product and service in today's globalized society are the reason for a new trend: nearshoring. The local production within the framework of nearshoring enables companies to respond to customer needs with shorter delivery times and higher flexibility.

By conducting this survey, Miebach Consulting will investigate how the supply chain can be aligned to implement nearshoring efficiently. The study assesses the relevant factors for supporting the decision and give an outlook on future tendencies.

Market participants in the logistics and manufacturing industries are encouraged to take part in this survey. The online questionnaire will take about 15 minutes to complete. All submitted information is strictly confidential and will serve exclusively as base of data for the empirical part of our anonymized study. The survey will be available until end of November 2016. Link to online questionnaire: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/study-nearshoring

In return for your participation, respondents will receive the complete results report.

México, 28 July 2016

MIEBACH CONSULTING MEXICO: SUPPORT DURING THE TRANSITION TO NESTLE ICE CREAM VALLEJO

Grupo Herdez Mexican is a multinational company dedicated to the food and beverage industry which has positioned itself as the undisputed leader in the market, including frozen yogurt. It occupies one of the first places in the...

Grupo Herdez Mexican is a multinational company dedicated to the food and beverage industry which has positioned itself as the undisputed leader in the market, including frozen yogurt. It occupies one of the first places in the category of Mexican food in the United States. Following its recent purchase by the Nestlé Ice Cream division, they asked Miebach Consulting Mexico a proposal for the optimal solution for the integration of its operations, number of locations, and flow storage capabilities, as well as the definition of an optimal operation scheme to manage integrated finished product flows.

Diagnosis of the situation, current flow and the development of support for the closure of operations on the premises of Nestlé before December 1, 2015 served as key inputs to define the best solution for facilities design, as well as the feasibility and adaptations of existing facilities.

The draft layouts were designed to expand the storage finished plant in Lagos de Moreno, and the adaptation of the new Distribution Center in Vallejo, while the operations facilities covered the flow and inventories of finished products from Ice Cream Nestle, from the receipt of production plants, storage, order picking / shipping, shipping to transport customers and distribution. For the operations in the Regional CD Culiacan, Monterrey and Tijuana, cross-docking was taken as the standard to be replicated in the rest of the network. Auxiliary areas, such as yard and closure trucks, battery charging equipment, cold areas, administrative offices, and restrooms / locker were also included in the designs.

During the project, the design supported operations-critical nodes of the national network of distribution of ice cream and closing operations in Nestle facilities prior to the dates involved in the purchase.

As a result of the project they were obtained the following benefits:

- The number of positions and required capacities were increased by 70%

Germany, United Kingdom, 06 July 2016

Glob­al sup­ply chain con­sultancy ex­pands into UK

Miebach Consulting has entered the UK market with an office in Maidstone, Kent. The expansion not only affords companies in the UK better access to Miebach's services, but the strategic location also enables global companies to draw on...

Miebach Consulting has entered the UK market with an office in Maidstone, Kent. The expansion not only affords companies in the UK better access to Miebach's services, but the strategic location also enables global companies to draw on its resources to better connect with the UK and Europe.

The UK office will be managed by Peter Surtees, former Kimberley-Clark European Supply Chain Director, who was awarded the prestigious CILT Sir Robert Lawrence Award for an outstanding and sustained contribution to the profession of logistics in 2010.

Peter said: "Miebach is an excellent company that I am proud to bring to the UK. We take a holistic approach to a client's supply chain, with strategy, business processes and logistics all equally important. Our cross-border reach will be especially useful as the fallout from the 'Brexit' referendum forces companies to redress their international supply chain management to comply with new rules and regulations."

Established in Germany in 1973, Miebach Consulting provides services across the end-to-end supply chain. The company's global network and multi-sector experience provides an unrivaled strength and depth of knowledge for formulating innovative solutions to customer supply chain challenges. Miebach employs a worldwide network of experts with local knowledge, both sector and functional, to support projects. The company's 20 office locations include Indianapolis, Shanghai, Sao Paolo, Bangalore, Dammam and a head office in Germany. For further information: www.miebach.com/en/company/. For enquiries please contact Peter Surtees: surtees@miebach.com, +44 1622 683118.

Portugal, 01 July 2016

Global head of the pharmaceutical sector at Miebach Consulting, Martin Eckert, participated at the International Health Seminar held in Lisbon on June 23rd. Mr. Eckert presented the primary findings of the study on trends in the...

Global head of the pharmaceutical sector at Miebach Consulting, Martin Eckert, participated at the International Health Seminar held in Lisbon on June 23rd. Mr. Eckert presented the primary findings of the study on trends in the pharmaceutical industry which has been recently developed by the company on a European level.

The objective of the seminar, attended by over 70 participants, was to bring together key players and stakeholders in the value chain of health in Portugal, together for the first time after the publication of Counterfeit Medicines Directive (2011/62 / EU), which sets the guidelines for serialization of medicines and which takes effect in less than three years.

Martin Eckert was one of the speakers of the day and focused his lecture on the results of the pharmaceutical logistics study developed by Miebach Consulting. According to that study, some of the highlights for the pharmaceutical industry are the impact of the latest amendments to the guidelines of the GdP since November 2013 (76% of respondents), the product counterfeit (74%) and two measures to combat it: the implementation of tracking and tracing systems (82%) and serialization (73%). Serialization is one of the issues that generate greater concern, as it is still a pending challenge by the lack of information and the short timeframe announced for implementation.

Eckert spoke about the implications of the implementation of the new EU directive on the supply chains of the pharmaceutical industry, concerning the scope of products, the responsibilities of different key players, the specific requirements of each country, the need to increase visibility across the supply chain and the deliveries in the different channels.

The program of the day included many other conferences by: Guy Villax, President of the RX-360 consortium and CEO of Hovione, Tania Snioch, Director of Health of the global office of GS1, Joan Cahill, Pfizer (representing EPFIA ), Nuno Loureiro, CHLN logistics director, Ana Margarida Freitas, from José de Mello Saúde, Henrique Gil Martins, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PMSC, Rui Ivo, vice president of Infarmed, etc.

About GS1 Portugal

(CODIPOR - Portuguese Association identification and product coding)

GS1 Portugal - CODIPOR - is the entity that introduced bar codes in Portugal 30 years ago. It is a private, neutral, non-profit organization and also member of the global organization GS1. Founded in 1985 by producers and distributors, it is currently leading the development of standards and best business practices, acting as a facilitator of the value chain.

GS1 Portugal is one of the largest business associations in Portugal, bringing together approximately 7,700 member companies, from raw material producers to distributors, including brand manufacturers, industry associations and technology providers - in order to develop, adopt and implement global standards revolutionize the way we do business.

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United States, 29 April 2016

Miebach Par­ti­cip­ates in MODEX 2016

Earlier this month in Atlanta, GA, Miebach was pleased to participate once again at MODEX, sponsored by MHI. The largest international expo of its kind held in North America and acclaimed as the “greatest supply chain show on Earth”,...

Earlier this month in Atlanta, GA, Miebach was pleased to participate once again at MODEX, sponsored by MHI. The largest international expo of its kind held in North America and acclaimed as the “greatest supply chain show on Earth”, it attracted nearly 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries and six continents.

Over 800 exhibitors were featured, covering all areas of the supply chain from equipment and IT systems, material handling, and logistics solutions for manufacturing, assembly and distribution.

In addition to speaking with many attendees during the 4 day event in our booth, Miebach presented three educational seminars. Nearly 100 sessions regarding current trends, best practices, high-tech equipment and leading technology solutions were available throughout the week.

Our session, “Designing the Ideal Supply Chain Network for the Future” presented on both Tuesday and Thursday with Jason Brewer from Llamasoft, was very impactful for attendees. One gentleman claimed "it was the best presentation he had ever seen at a supply chain conference", and that it "completely changed the way he would approach his supply chain." Our third session, “Falling Barriers and Trends with Automation in North America” was equally well attended and received.

Video of the session presentations are available and can be requested by email from wood@miebach.com

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Germany, 18 April 2016

The study brochure about the new Miebach pharma survey 2016 with 256 participants is now available. The results show: The pharmaceutical industry is giving its supply chain and logistics a much greater importance than in the past. The...

The study brochure about the new Miebach pharma survey 2016 with 256 participants is now available. The results show: The pharmaceutical industry is giving its supply chain and logistics a much greater importance than in the past. The top subjects in the pharmaceutical logistics are end-to-end supply chain visibility and optimizing the distribution networks. The increasing volume of refrigerated and frozen products and serialization of product codes are further challenges supply chain managers are facing.

“Our European study clearly shows that most pharmaceutical companies see the European market as a whole region, while national borders are becoming less important, except for specific legislation or distribution channels” – says Martin Eckert, Global Pharma Expert & Director, Miebach Consulting. Optimization of the distribution network has grown very much in importance (from 76 % to 86 %). The initiatives are aiming to transform many national networks into one more efficient and transparent European network, alongside with other many issues.

Topics like improving supplier management (86 %), end-to-end supply chain visibility (93 %), improving forecasting accuracy (84 %) and track & trace (82 %) are some of the most significant issues for the management, very much in line with the previous Miebach pharma study from 2012. Optimization through automation (64 %), outsourcing (62 %) and constructing new warehouses compliant with GxP guidelines (54 %) are also important topics.

The full study report including derived recommendations for action (in English language) can be obtained here.

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Germany, 11 March 2016

Suc­cess­ful résumé of Lo­giMAT 2016

The international logistics fair, LogiMAT, has ended with a record attendance of 43,000 interested visitors. For Miebach Consulting, the fair was also very succesful: with guests from Benelux, Germany, Saudi-Arabia and Spain,...

The international logistics fair, LogiMAT, has ended with a record attendance of 43,000 interested visitors. For Miebach Consulting, the fair was also very succesful: with guests from Benelux, Germany, Saudi-Arabia and Spain, internationality could be experienced and new opportunities for collaboration were discussed.

On the second trade fair day FRIATEC, specialists for pipeline joining technology, gave a best-practice speech together with Miebach Consulting about "FRIATEC next generation logistics and products - efficiency with a new Miebach solution". Markus Marsch, representative head of the logistics division at FRIATEC, gave insights into planning and implementation of the new, highly dynamic logistics center at the company headquarters in Mannheim. Bernhard Stock, member of the management board at Miebach, illustrated highlights and added-value of the innovative solution.

"The logistics center assures our future growth and meets the demanding service level with faster order throughput time for our customers." – said Markus Marsch about the advantages of the new DC.

FRIATEC decided to commission Miebach Consulting as general planner to bundle responsibility of logistics and construction planning and implementation to ensure an ideal overall solution regarding logistics and invest at the same time.

With an area of 4,400 square meters and a height of 35 meters, the plant provides space for approximately 12,000 pallets. Five storage and retrieval systems move between the 21 levels of the automated high bay warehouse. Fast supply times achieve a utilization level of 97% at picking work stations.

Further information about the LogiMAT trade fair can be found on the event homepage.

Germany, 03 March 2016

Launch of new Miebach web­site

Miebach Consulting, a global supply chain engineering leader, announced today the launch of their newly updated website. The redesigned site offers our visitors a robust and comprehensive look on all devices into the various services...

Miebach Consulting, a global supply chain engineering leader, announced today the launch of their newly updated website. The redesigned site offers our visitors a robust and comprehensive look on all devices into the various services that Miebach provides through updated content and a number of project excerpts. The new site enables a much more customizable experience, to learn about the Miebach services for a particular industry, a specific aspect of the supply chain, and their international team of consultants.

“Challenge meet Solution”

With the relaunch, Miebach wants to strengthen their global brand with new slogans about how we work with customers, as well as focusing on our internationality. The new site content is published in three primary languages, English, German and Spanish, to reach a wider range of readers. Additionally, location information is available for each of their 18 countries in the local language or dialect. This focus on reaching local customers underscores Miebach’s commitment to making global supply chain solutions available to every client.

“We are happy to announce the launch of our new website. It will strengthen our Miebach brand and create an increased user experience. Our intention was to offer a very quick and individual glance on information according to our clients’ needs and to easily reach out to global and local contact persons with ideal expertise for answering their questions.” - Jürgen Hess, CEO of Miebach Consulting Group, responsible for Asia, Europe and USA.

Jorge Motjé, CEO of Miebach Consulting Group, responsible for the Latin American region and Spain, adds:

“With the launch of a state-of-the-art website we hope to convey in a more professional and interactive way the full potential that our company offers its customers. The new website will be our primary channel to communicate our thought leadership in supply chain engineering and to support our social media activities”

Miebach’s new website will be regularly updated with local news items, events where we are participating, awards, recent projects, and downloadable content such as market studies and whitepapers. Visitors are encouraged to explore the new site at www.miebach.com.

Argentina, 22 February 2016

In line with the development of new sales and distribution channels the retailer Falabella Argentina decided to optimize its distribution center located in Benavídez (Buenos Aires area). Miebach Consulting Argentina supported Falabella...

In line with the development of new sales and distribution channels the retailer Falabella Argentina decided to optimize its distribution center located in Benavídez (Buenos Aires area). Miebach Consulting Argentina supported Falabella from concept planning to implementation.

Within the 17,000 m² distribution center (DC), the project team incorporated a specific area of 5,000 m² on two levels, designed to meet the logistics requirements of e-commerce orders, also called multi- or omni-channel operations. To achieve this, Miebach Consulting Argentina designed a masterplan for the entire site, and supported tendering and construction in 2013. The optimized DC has been inaugurated on 8 April 2014.

Project manager Martin Layun, director of Miebach Consulting Argentina, states: “Falabella Argentina manages a stable average of 17,000 SKUs, while throughout the year they may reach 80,000 SKUs. With the new e-commerce area, Falabella Argentina is now able to meet future growth requirements in the omni-channel business.”

The e-commerce area consists of a mezzanine on two levels – the area is equipped with a conveyor belt with five picking stations. Picking is done in plastic buckets which are conveyed to the packing station. There, packing in cartons for distribution as well as customizing is done (eg. adding cards, ribbons or decorations). After that, the carton will be automatically classified for shipping (12 outputs) or will be conveyed to an area of consolidation (e.g. if the order combines a small product from this picking area with a large one, from a different area).

The order can be delivered directly to the customer's address, or will be transported to a branch of the logistics operator or to a point of sale of Falabella.

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Germany, 17 November 2015

The work­er as suc­cess factor

The 5th Miebach Theme day Fashion and Lifestyle focused on the worker as success factor. A critical comparative advantage in the Supply Chain of Fashion and Lifestyle enterprises are highly motivated employees and an efficient...

The 5th Miebach Theme day Fashion and Lifestyle focused on the worker as success factor. A critical comparative advantage in the Supply Chain of Fashion and Lifestyle enterprises are highly motivated employees and an efficient organization. However, the worker as a success factor for Supply Chain Excellence is often not recognized. The 5th Miebach Fashion & Lifestyle day on November 19th, 2015 was dedicated to this subject and presented strategies and measurements, how workers, technology and organization can ideally be coordinated. A total of 30 participants – fashion retailer and 3PLs - came together to the conference at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel.

How organizational resilience can be used to find an answer to the challenges of the VUCA world (VUCA = volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) was illustrated by Thomas Krebs, responsible for the competence field Supply Chain Processes. The development and maintenance of a, in the sense of resilience, ideal logistics organization must be understood as a permanent management business. This change management should equally take strategy, culture and organization into account. The involvement of employees is highly important, in all phases. “Only joint understanding enables to work on a qualitative difference to the current process state and to fill this with life, even after implementation”, said Thomas Krebs.

Launch management was subject of the lecture of Markus Sauer, Consultant in the competence field People & Organization. He explained in his speech the reason for inefficient and turbulent launches and showed success factors for the prosperous go-live, in the following. He was especially emphasizing the change management and how employees in this regard can be used as enablers for further success. In the following Sauer was examining the customer project MyToys. Here, a successful realization of a lasting launch strategy for the training of more than 600 new logistics employees ensured the service level in the Christmas business.

In her lecture “Is money everything? Employee motivation in logistics”, Irene Wagner, Senior Consultant in the competence field Supply Chain Processes, made clear that employees can be motivated through monetary incentives, however do raises or regular bonus payment only have a short term effect. “For a long term development of the motivation are factors like career options, working atmosphere, feedback culture and participation in target agreements more reasonable and should be considered for personnel management”, said Wagner. When companies decide to introduce a premium system, they need to draw attention to having the employee ratios defined, comprehensible, transparent and accessible.

Near Time Fulfillment at Peter Hahn, optimized personnel deployment through simulation

Gerhard Krauth, head of the logistic department, gave, in the user presentation at Peter Hahn, an overview of the project “Near Time Fulfillment” (NTF) to maintain the economic growth. Core of the project was the optimization of the order management based on adaptation of the flow of material through simulation. The conversion to an online invoicing (printing on demand), the print of picking labels and invoices at the place of packing, as well as a consistent invoice layout were further control levers for the implementation of the NTF-Strategy. The way the simulation helped the order management, as well as the personnel planning at Peter Hahn precisely, was described in the following by Kamel Klibi, head of the competence field simulation. With “just one press of a button” all responsible logistics employees receive information about the current and prospected occupancy of e.g. the commissioning or packing department and can react faster to personnel bottle necks or idle times.

User Gerhardt Krauth about the advantages of the introduced tool: “The simulation model enables us to plan precisely and control the personnel deployment pinpoint. Thereby we can optimize our labor cost in the logistics center Winterbach and reduce downtimes.”

Timo Willberger, Sales Manager Fashion, drew a conclusion at the end of the event: “Only through appreciation and mindfulness towards their employees, companies can, in times of Industry 4.0, place the quality at the market and at the customer and thereby generate real competitive advantage”.

The 6th Miebach Fashion and Lifestyle-day is planned for November 17th, 2016. Further information can be retrieved from Timo Willberger.

Spain/Portugal, 02 November 2015

Unicer wins “Prémio Ex­celên­cia Lo­gist­ica” Award 2015

Unicer received the (PEL) 2015, which aims to help promote and stimulate the development of logistics in Portugal, providing public recognition to professionals and organizations that contribute to its progress. The award was given to...

Unicer received the (PEL) 2015, which aims to help promote and stimulate the development of logistics in Portugal, providing public recognition to professionals and organizations that contribute to its progress. The award was given to Pedro Alves, Logistics Project and Process Manager at Unicer at the 18th Congreso de Logística de Portugal (Congress of Logistics in Portugal), held in Lisbon, on October 28.

Miebach Consulting developed the global logistics project plan that Unicer began in 2013, and for which the company received this award given annually by the Associação Portuguesa Logistics (APLOG) and the Logística Moderna magazine.

Unicer is the largest company in the beverages sector in Portugal and produces and distributes beer, bottled water, refreshing juices and wine. In addition, Unicer commercializes third party products. Some of its leading brands are: Super Bock, Carlsberg, Pedras Salgadas, Vitalis, Caramulo, Frutis o Quinta do Minho, among others.

UNICER’s Logistics

The project in collaboration with Miebach Consulting began in 2013 and consisted of three stages: preliminary logistical design, detailed design, tender and technical assistance during the phases of implementation and initial operation of the new facilities.

Unicer has ten production centers spread throughout Portugal and has decided, two years ago, to remodel its supply chain, centralizing beer production and distribution logistics nearby the brewery in Leça do Balio (Porto).

In a first phase, the remodeling involved the expansion of production capacity and bottling, with a subsequently increased flow of full and empty pallets in the production environment. In the second phase, Unicer contacted Miebach Consulting for the realization of the preliminary design of the plant in Leça do Balio. Specifically, Miebach defined requirements for the flows of goods and in-plant traffic, inventory requirements, internal replenishment processes of production, reception and inbound of goods, preparation of orders and consolidation of shipments. Miebach also analyzed and evaluated the technical feasibility and profitability of existing options for the supply and disposal of products of production lines, for internal transport, storage and consolidation of shipments.

Once the solution was approved, Miebach Consulting developed the project in detail and elaborated the specifications for tendering, providing technical assistance to Unicer in the tendering process and drafting contracts for suppliers. Finally, Miebach Consulting supervised the development of the construction project of the new facilities and the development of the functional specifications of the control and management systems.

Germany, 01 October 2015

The heterogeneous Asian-Pacific area increasingly gains importance as a market, with China being the top-performer. The results of the current Miebach Study - Distribution to Asia-Pacific, with more than 126 participants, indicates...

The heterogeneous Asian-Pacific area increasingly gains importance as a market, with China being the top-performer. The results of the current Miebach Study - Distribution to Asia-Pacific, with more than 126 participants, indicates that 20 % of the surveyed companies already earn more than 15 % of their total turnover in this area.

“All signs point to expansion in Asia-Pacific, although companies will have to adjust their delivery time and service level to European standards”, said Bernd Müller-Dauppert, member of the executive board of Miebach Consulting GmbH.

More than 75 % of participants expect an increase in delivery time requirements. As of right now, more than half of the exporting companies have to supply customers within 14 days; almost a quarter within three days. Two thirds of the participants additionally expect an increase in competition, which will result in an even higher service demand. To fulfill delivery time requirements, three quarters of companies pursue a supply chain strategy precisely for Asia-Pacific. Especially the strategic importance of agility and flexibility in the region is assessed highly, followed by the CPFR-concept (Continuous Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment) as well as supply chain transparency. Further important topics for Asian-pacific companies are supply chain differentiation by customer demands as well as the use of current IT-systems.

A majority of companies (41 %) distribute their products in all five Asia- Pacific regions and almost a quarter within four regions. Exporting companies with local production have on average eleven mainly self-owned warehouses in Asia-Pacific. Only a small number of companies consider developed countries like Australia/ New Zealand and Japan/ South-Korea as attractive production locations. That indicates that companies are following consumer markets: Higher saturated markets have higher customer demands – therefore, a customer proximity is required.

Background of the Study: Miebach Consulting conducted a survey in June and July 2015 about distribution to Asia-Pacific. An online survey was used as research method, which was sent to companies from different industries. The survey was analyzed completely anonymously.

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Germany, 03 August 2015

New dis­tri­bu­tion cen­ter of FRIATEC sets fu­ture course

New distribution center of FRIATEC sets future courseWith the construction of a new and innovative central warehouse FRIATEC sets the future path towards further growth. The company produces goods made out of non-corroding and...

New distribution center of FRIATEC sets future courseWith the construction of a new and innovative central warehouse FRIATEC sets the future path towards further growth. The company produces goods made out of non-corroding and wear-resistant materials. With the new distribution center in Mannheim, FRIATEC is able to supply national and international customers since the operational beginning in August 2015. The site plays a vital role in logistics also for its beligium parent company ALIAXIS.

FRIATEC decided to appoint Miebach Consulting as an integrated logistics and construction engineer to place responsibility of logistics, planning and realization in one hand to ensure an optimal solution, both logistically and financially. Additionally, the Miebach team managed very well the extremely challenging go-live timeline of the logistics site.

Have a look at the video in the media library with a tour of the new distribution center FRIATEC.

Klaus Wolf, Managing Director FRIATEC AG, about the project: “The new distribution center is strategically important for us because we see an increase in market dynamics, especially abroad. With the new facility, it is now possible for us to accomodate the company’s growth and to serve our customers worldwide in short periods and higher volumes”.

„The particular features of the developed logistic solutions are the synchronization of the goods processing time and the provision time in the warehouse. The extraordinary dynamic of intra logistics can be also seen by the building structure”– says Bernhard Stock, integrated logistics and construction engineer and Member of the Management Board, Miebach Consulting.

Key facts of the new site:

Doubled storage capacity up to 12.000 pallet bays in one 35m high-bay warehouse

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Germany, 01 June 2015

Miebach Consulting Poland received from the BASF Catalyst Division the Excellence Award 2015 for their exceptional work at BASF´s Catalysts Plant in Sroda Slaska near Wroclaw. Miebach designed and implemented the plant logistics and a...

Miebach Consulting Poland received from the BASF Catalyst Division the Excellence Award 2015 for their exceptional work at BASF´s Catalysts Plant in Sroda Slaska near Wroclaw. Miebach designed and implemented the plant logistics and a highbay warehouse for production supplies and distribution. The award was handed over to Marian Jezusek, Managing Director of Miebach Consulting Poland, during the work completion ceremony in April 2015.

“We are very pleased to have been rewarded with this recognition from BASF”, says Marian Jezusek. “It reflects the great commitment and capability of our team to provide innovative solutions in this highly sophisticated industry.”

“Miebach Consulting supported us from the concept planning phase to implementation and go-live of the logistics system and new plant. They deserve special recognition for their outstanding contribution,” says Gunnar Gaedke, Project Director, CCT Technology Catalysts, BASF.

With the new catalyst plant and warehouse, BASF is able to double its regional production capacity in Europe to meet market growth and customers’ needs. Lukas Jatta, Miebach project manager, says: “The collaboration between BASF and our international Miebach team was very productive, open and based on partnership. Our long-standing experience in the chemical industry has helped to develop another state-of-the-art solution with a high availability of products, efficient processes and high capacity to meet market growth in Europe as well as service levels. We are very proud that BASF honors our work with the contractor excellence award.”

About the BASF Catalyst Plant: The construction of the new manufacturing facility – BASF’s largest emissions catalysts plant in Europe – began in late 2012. The plant started production in April 2014 and plans to reach full capacity by 2016, delivering emissions catalysts for manufacturers of light duty gasoline vehicles and light and heavy duty diesel vehicles to meet more stringent Euro 6 emissions regulations.

For more information about the project and the award please contact Lukas Jatta

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Canada, 01 May 2015

Miebach opens new of­fice in Canada

Miebach Consulting strengthens its presence in North America by opening a new office in Canada. On May 1, the supply chain consultancy officially opened an office in Montréal to better support clients in the region. After successfully...

Miebach Consulting strengthens its presence in North America by opening a new office in Canada. On May 1, the supply chain consultancy officially opened an office in Montréal to better support clients in the region. After successfully establishing a Miebach office in Indianapolis/ USA in the 1990s, and from there having supported companies in Canada to design and improve their supply chains and logistics infrastructure, the opening of the new office is the next step to better serve the Canadian market.

Bernard Tremblay, a 20 year veteran of the company with extensive experience in North America and Latin America, is the new managing director of the Canada-based office. Together with his team, he will drive the firm’s local development initiative and provide a new option for Canadian companies in search of Supply Chain excellence.

He expressed his views on the new office by stating: “With the new office in Montréal we leverage both international reach and intimate local expertise. In order to best serve our Canadian clients it was necessary to build out our physical presence in the region and to develop a dedicated team with strong local know-how. We are looking forward to develop excellent and performance-driven supply chain solutions with our clients, adapted to the complex and multicultural business environment of Canada. Our clients will benefit from our traditional results-driven culture and permanent commitment to exceed customer expectations.”

Jürgen Hess, Managing Director of the Miebach Consulting Group, adds: “Globalization, digitalization and changing customer demands are driving clients across all industries in North America to change and transform their supply chains. We are now seeing increased opportunities to expand our services and we feel the best way to do so is by establishing a base in Montréal to enable us to get closer to our clients – both current and future.”

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Germany, 01 January 2015

Med­line triples ca­pa­city of lo­gist­ics cen­ter

Medline, a leading global provider of surgical and medical products, triples the capacity of their European Distribution Center in Kleve. With the 37,000 m² new DC, Medline responds to increasing demands of their products and services,...

Medline, a leading global provider of surgical and medical products, triples the capacity of their European Distribution Center in Kleve. With the 37,000 m² new DC, Medline responds to increasing demands of their products and services, especially in the quickly growing markets in Eastern Europe. As general planner, Miebach Consulting supports Medline since the beginning of the planning phase in May 2013 and has accompanied the construction of the new DC since completion in mid-December 2014. Go-live is in January 2015.

"With its proximity to the Port of Rotterdam, Kleve is the gateway to Europe for us," says Tripp Amdur, Medline’s International Group President. "By tripling our warehouse capacities, we will be able to offer our customers not only a greater variety of products, but also unique logistics services." From this warehouse, the US company will serve hospitals in many European countries.

Medline chose Miebach Consulting as general planner to bundle the responsibility for both logistics and planning and to ensure a logistically optimal overall solution. Manufacturer and supplier independence enable the compilation of the most suitable material flow components and generate significant savings through invitations to tender. The consulting and implementation partner Miebach guarantees integrated project management from the concept to the implementation phase.

"The efficient project management and the success we had with the tender decisions show us that we found an excellent project partner in Miebach. With the help of their project team, we developed the optimal solution for business and processes and were able to implement construction, building and material flow technologies in the most efficient way. We did all this without building up own resources in project management. "- says Wilfried Dammertz, Branch Manager, Medline.

With the new logistics center, Medline is now able to serve customers in Europe and beyond even faster and in a more flexible manner.

"We are delighted that we have been able to realize this strategically important logistics project within its very tight schedule and within budget. The fact-oriented, constructive and harmonic cooperation between general contractor, general planner and client as well as a good cooperation with the authorities of Kleve contributed substantially to the success of the project "- says Christian Bauersfeld, project manager, Miebach Consulting.

About Medline International

Medline International is a privately held manufacturer and distributor of quality medical and surgical supplies. Medline delivers a robust product portfolio and patient-care solutions to help healthcare providers perform at their very best. Medline International is a part of Medline Industries, Inc. a global health care company providing medical and surgical supplies throughout North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Learn more on Medline’s website.

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Germany, 01 November 2014

Through a close connection of production and logistics, overall savings of scarcely 25 per cent are feasible. This is a result of the current Miebach survey, which was performed in collaboration with the specialized newspaper...

Through a close connection of production and logistics, overall savings of scarcely 25 per cent are feasible. This is a result of the current Miebach survey, which was performed in collaboration with the specialized newspaper “Produktion”. The survey, about success factors of an integrated production and logistics, questioned 175 producing companies from various industries and of different sizes. The participating experts agreed: cost- and efficiency- potential can only be exploited through integrated collaboration of all parties internally and externally of the enterprise.

The major potential lies, according to the evaluation of the experts, in inventory costs, a typical issue of companies. Further cost savings of approximately 10% can be reached through integrated logistics (Transportation and Warehouse). Even in the manufacturing department, which is highly trimmed on efficiency, can, in collaboration with logistics, yield further potentials. One third of the interviewed persons see more than 5% of cost reduction potential in this field.

Study director Bernd Müller-Dauppert about the results: “The classical conflict of objective between costs and service continues throuout the collaboration of production and logistic. The Production aims to decrease production cost, while facing increases in the variant diversity. Logistic strives for a fast and low-cost shipment at low inventory levels. Success can only be found through a narrow integration of all participants inside and outside the company, when solving these conflicts of objective.

Mexico, 01 October 2014

Farmacias del Ahorro, one of the leading pharmacy chains in Mexico, is redesigning three of its existing distribution centers and will open a new one in order to meet customer requirements and growth. Miebach Consulting Mexico supports...

Farmacias del Ahorro, one of the leading pharmacy chains in Mexico, is redesigning three of its existing distribution centers and will open a new one in order to meet customer requirements and growth. Miebach Consulting Mexico supports these projects from concept planning to implementation.

Currently, Farmacias del Ahorro has two distribution centers in the North (in Tijuana - Baja California and Monterrey - Nuevo León) and one in the South of the country (Mérida - Yucatán). Also in this area, specifically in Tuxtla Gutiérrez (Chiapas), the company is building a new distribution center.

The network redesign plan of Farmacias del Ahorro includes the renovation of infrastructure and also the optimization of operational processes in each distribution centers in order to maximize productivity and to increase customer service levels.

New distribution center in Tuxtla Gutiérrez built on 15,000 m²

The new distribution center, developed in collaboration with Miebach Consulting, is designed to support the growth of operations and business units of the company, foreseen until 2018.

Once completed, the new DC of Farmacias del Ahorro will be built on 15,000 m² including: storage areas, picking areas, reception and expeditions areas and a reverse logistics area, as well as a service zone. The center will have enough capacity to host the own fleet of cargo and also the flow of suppliers vehicles.

The new DC located in Tuxtla Gutiérrez will be built within nine months; the estimated opening of the facilities will be on early 2015.

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USA, 01 August 2014

Miebach Con­sult­ing again has been nom­in­ated as one of the Top 100 Great Sup­ply Chain Part­ner 2014

Miebach Consulting has again been selected as one of the top companies to partner with in order to positively impact the supply chain. Based upon nominations from clients, the leading global supply chain information firm...

Miebach Consulting has again been selected as one of the top companies to partner with in order to positively impact the supply chain. Based upon nominations from clients, the leading global supply chain information firm SupplyChainBrain released their list of the 100 Great Supply Chain Partners and Miebach Consulting is proud to be again included in this year’s list. In 2013 Miebach Consulting received this nomination for the first time.

“In its 12th year, SupplyChainBrain’s prestigious list of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners highlights a select list of companies whose solutions and services have been so impressive, that their customers took the time to write and nominate them” – says Emily Janson, Publisher, SupplyChainBrain.

According to Janson the online magazine received thousands of nominations from small and large companies covering scores of different industries. During SupplyChainBrain’s six-month online poll, in which supply chain professionals were asked to nominate vendors and service providers whose solutions have made a significant impact on their company’s efficiency, customer service and overall supply chain performance. Miebach Consulting is listed in the 2014 July/August issue of SupplyChainBrain magazine as a celebrated member of this year’s 100 Great elite crew.

The SupplyChainBrain’s Great Supply Chain Partner 2014 list you can find here.

About SupplyChainBrain:

SupplyChainBrain, the world’s most comprehensive supply chain management information resource, is accessed year round through a wide range of ever evolving multi-media formats by hundreds of thousands of senior level industry executives. In addition to addressing the fundamental principles of supply-chain management, SupplyChainBrain identifies emerging trends, technologies and best practices, forward thinking ideas and cutting-edge solutions - and continues to write and report about these as they evolve and mature. Find out more about SupplyChainBrain here.

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Germany, 01 July 2014

Outsourcing has evolved from a hype or buzzword topic to an integral part of the portfolio of logistics managers. As a result, the interaction between logistics service providers and shippers has become much more professional. However,...

Outsourcing has evolved from a hype or buzzword topic to an integral part of the portfolio of logistics managers. As a result, the interaction between logistics service providers and shippers has become much more professional. However, the growth potential in this industry declines and in-sourcing increases. These are the results of a Miebach Consulting study conducted in cooperation with the Deutsche Verkehrszeitung (DVZ). 250 shippers from different industries and 80 logistics service providers with various orientations participated. This new record participation in the study, which Miebach regularly conducts since the end of the 90´s, shows that the issue has still not lost its relevance.

The days of rapid growth in logistics outsourcing have passed. 5-10 years ago, more than 80 % of logistics tenders were tendered for the first time - this figure is now closer to 20 %. The shippers have become much more selective in the contracting of services, and especially with management functions they tend to insource more. In 2012, around 25 % of participants answered positively to the question of whether they insourced again, in 2014, this rate increased to over 40 %.

Future growth is to be expected especially on a transnational level. Shippers tend to use more services in the international environment than on a national basis. This is an indication that globalization provides the environment for growth opportunities in logistics outsourcing.

"It is obvious that the outsourcing euphoria of the 90s and 2000s has given way to a much more rational point of view. The professionalization both on the part of service providers as well as shippers is an overall benefit for the industry. The interesting question will be whether new outsourcing potential can be developed on the basis of these changing conditions, or if the market will increasingly stabilize at current levels. "- Dr. Klaus-Peter Jung, member of the Executive Board, Miebach Consulting GmbH.

China, 10 June 2014

Miebach Consulting compliments SKF Logistics Services China for the official inauguration of its new North-East Asian Distribution Center (DC) on 10 June 2014. Located in the WaiGaoQiao Free Trade Zone, between downtown Shanghai and...

Miebach Consulting compliments SKF Logistics Services China for the official inauguration of its new North-East Asian Distribution Center (DC) on 10 June 2014. Located in the WaiGaoQiao Free Trade Zone, between downtown Shanghai and PuDong International Airport, the new DC allows fast and reliable shipping across China and the entire North East Asian region including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Miebach Consulting has supported SKF with concept design for the warehouse as well as detail design and project management support during all subsequent project phases: from tendering phase to procurement, erection and commissioning of the material handling equipment.

The new structure has a covered surface in excess of 26.000 m², with modern and advanced warehouse technology and equipment, including a 30-meter high automated storage and retrieval system for pallets. This ASRS has a capacity of over 30’000 pallet locations and is ready to be further expanded. All intralogistics processes are fully integrated, as per the well-established standards of the SKF group. SKF Logistics Services China is capable of processing from this site several thousand order-lines daily, including full pallet, mixed pallet and carton shipping.

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Germany, 31 May 2014

In­nov­at­ive lo­gist­ics solu­tion of Karl Ber­rang GmbH

The Karl Berrang GmbH – one of the main service providers for mechanical joining technology in Germany – has opened its new intra-logistics system and the adjacent office complex on 30 and 31 May 2014. With the conclusion of this major...

The Karl Berrang GmbH – one of the main service providers for mechanical joining technology in Germany – has opened its new intra-logistics system and the adjacent office complex on 30 and 31 May 2014. With the conclusion of this major project, Berrang is setting the course for the future.

“For further successful development of our company, a flexible and fast delivery in excellent quality is important. In order to meet this demand and our growth requirements, we decided for the new development of an innovative logistics solution which perfectly meets the customer requirements. A customized logistics concept allows us to further improve our customer service and our international competitiveness”, says Bernhard Berrang, Managing Partner of Karl Berrang GmbH.

The supply chain specialists of Miebach Consulting accompanied the major project from the concept planning in 2009 until the final acceptance. “The innovative intra-logistics system makes a valuable contribution to the overall success of this pioneering logistics project of Berrang”, says Bernhard Stock, project manager of Miebach Consulting.

The newly designed logistics solution at the corporate headquarters of the Berrang group in Mannheim/Germany includes an automatic high rack and small parts storage where C-parts for a wide variety of industries are handled. Due to the innovative system solution “i-con mix tube” it is possible to dynamically transport all different types of carriers. Consequently, even for the pallet transport the goods provisioning time does not exceed the processing time. The advantage is a fast, flexible picking which meets the different customer requirements – from the delivery of small units directly to the production line up to the delivery of full pallets.

For more information about the company Karl Berrang GmbH, please visit the company’s homepage.

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Mexico, 01 December 2013

Tender for Fash­ion Re­tail­er Grupo Corte­fiel in Mex­ico

Grupo Cortefiel ─ one of the leading Spanish fashion retailers ─ strengthens its presence in Mexico by opening new retail shops. As part of their business strategy the company decided to outsource logistics operations. Miebach...

Grupo Cortefiel ─ one of the leading Spanish fashion retailers ─ strengthens its presence in Mexico by opening new retail shops. As part of their business strategy the company decided to outsource logistics operations. Miebach Consulting Mexico was responsible for the tender.

Grupo Cortefiel has been present in Mexico through a franchised company that manages the outlets of the chain and provides them with goods from their central warehouse. Recently, the group decided to be present in Mexico with their own retail shops, opening stores of different brands and managing them directly. To provide logistics support, the company decided to outsource logistics operations – selecting a 3PL with experience in the textile/ fashion industry to perform the functions of storaging, order picking, sorting and the transportation of articles to the distribution center and points of sale.

For the complete outsourcing tender process, Grupo Cortefiel had the support of Miebach Consulting Mexico. This resulted in:

Set up of company and country specific requirements for the 3PL

Pre-selection of the logistics providers that exhibit the required expertise in the textile/ fashion industry

Providing local support throughout the tender process (process management, answering questions, site visits, feedback from previous experiences and local performance of operators, etc.)

Technical, quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the 3PL proposals

Recommendation for the final 3PL selection

Besides Miebach Consulting Mexico, the Miebach office in Barcelona was involved in this project and contributed to the successful completion of the tender for Grupo Cortefiel – which has been a key client of Miebach Consulting Spain for several years.

About Grupo Cortefiel Founded in Madrid, Spain, in 1880, Grupo Cortefiel is one of the leading apparel retailers in Europe. Grupo Cortefiel is present in 72 countries with 1,900 points of sale for its brands Cortefiel, Pedro del Hierro, Springfield and Women's Secret. The group is leading the fashion niche markets for men and the corsetry and lingerie markets in Spain.

For further information about the project, please contact René Lara: lara@miebach.com

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Germany, 02 September 2013

REWE holds top­ping-out ce­re­mony for new lo­gist­ics cen­ter

The topping-out ceremony for the Rewe Group’s new logistics center has been held at the company’s construction site in Neu-Isenburg – one year following the start of project almost to the day. A state-of-the-art, largely automated...

The topping-out ceremony for the Rewe Group’s new logistics center has been held at the company’s construction site in Neu-Isenburg – one year following the start of project almost to the day. A state-of-the-art, largely automated logistics warehouse for Rewe’s dry goods range is currently being erected on the approx. 235,000 square-meter property. The new warehouse is expected to go turn-key in May 2014 and is the most technologically advanced distribution center that Rewe has had to date, making it “something very special”, says Matthias Bähr, Managing Director of Rewe’s Logistics Division. The investment volume for the new building is approx. 200 million euros.

The new center completes the modernization strategy for the Rewe Group’s supply chain, which commenced in 2008: “Neu-Isenburg is the final building block in the revamping of our logistics operations. With opening times of up to 17 hours, today’s food retail sector places tremendous demands on logistics,” explains Frank Wiemer, member of the Rewe Group’s Executive Board and in charge of logistics, among other things.

“The project is perfectly on track, and we are offering Rewe every support that things will stay this way. We are both working towards smooth and timely commissioning of the warehouse, as this will enable us to supply the 4,500 Rewe retail stores entirely from our new logistics center in time for the 2014 Christmas season,” explains Dr. Niels Linge, Principal Detailed Planning and Implementation, at Miebach Consulting.

Miebach Consulting has been assisting Rewe since the concept phase and is now supporting the project management until go-live of the logistic center next year.

Germany, 01 September 2013

Plan­ning of the world’s most cut­ting-edge air cargo hub com­pleted

What will probably be Europe’s biggest Logistics building site will soon be located at the heart of Frankfurt Airport. Lufthansa Cargo AG has decided to replace the freight handling system in Cargo City Nord, which in places is over...

What will probably be Europe’s biggest Logistics building site will soon be located at the heart of Frankfurt Airport. Lufthansa Cargo AG has decided to replace the freight handling system in Cargo City Nord, which in places is over forty years old, with what in the words of Dr. Karl-Rudolf Rupprecht, Executive Board Operations Lufthansa Cargo AG will be the world’s most cutting-edge, efficient air cargo hub. Planning, which has been under way since October 2010, is now completed as far as logistics and IT are concerned. Construction work will commence in early 2014. Miebach Consulting has been involved in the project since day one and is responsible for the complete process, logistics technology, and IT planning.

For further information about this masterplan project, please refer to the project article about “the Mega Plan” (see media download area) of Dr. Klaus-Peter Jung.

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Germany, 09 July 2013

Al­natura builds the world’s largest wooden high-bay ware­house

Alnatura celebrated the topping out of the world’s largest wooden high-bay warehouse – along with partners on the project, politicians and customers. The impressive building will be commissioned next spring. Made completely of 5,000...

Alnatura celebrated the topping out of the world’s largest wooden high-bay warehouse – along with partners on the project, politicians and customers. The impressive building will be commissioned next spring. Made completely of 5,000 cubic meters of wood, the high-bay warehouse highlights the topic of sustainability in logistics in an unprecedented manner and meets the latest ecological standards. Thanks to prime insulation and a ground floor that is 2.50 meters below the ground, the new facility does not even need heating or cooling, and is thus carbon-emission free. Eco-electricity, green areas and rainwater aquifer areas combine to create a great eco-balance.

Miebach Consulting has advised Alnatura on the expansion of this special distribution center from the first ideas phase and the subsequent concept planning phase in mid-2011 onwards. Engaged as the independent experts evaluating the general contractor, the Miebach consultants will be at hand through to completion of the warehouse when it goes turnkey in spring 2014.

Expansion necessary given corporate growth

Steady, fast growth made it necessary to expand the distribution center in Lorsch to include the new high-bay warehouse, which can house over 31,000 palettes. “To date, the distribution center only had a wide-aisle warehouse where manual processing moved goods in and out across a surface area of 20,800 sq. m. Other key reasons for the introduction of the almost fully-automatic new facility were the wish to centralize storage and improve availability,” comments Klaus Böhmer, Head of Alnatura Logistik.

Alnatura will be supplying both its own branches nationwide and its retail partners in Germany and Switzerland from its new expanded logistics center: with organic foods from its dry goods range.

In mid-May Miebach partners and executives from all offices came together not only for the annual strategy meeting but also to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Miebach Consulting Group.

On the occasion of the anniversary celebration in Bad Nauheim, the company’s founder Dr. Joachim Miebach took the chance for a short review on 40 exciting and successful years:

“The story of Miebach Consulting began with a modest one-man show in a tiny Frankfurt office. And now, over the course of four decades and over ten thousand projects, we mark this anniversary with nearly 300 employees in 19 offices across 16 countries. I want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank our customers for their trust and the successful cooperation over the years. Further, I thank our employees for their solidarity with the company and their commitment to continually implement the best supply chain solutions for our customers. That is the reason why the name Miebach Consulting has established as a benchmark for excellence in Engineering & Consulting.”

Jürgen Hess, Managing Director of the Miebach Consulting Group, continued with an outlook on the development of the company:

“Our focus will strongly remain on our customers because they are responsible for our success. For this reason we continuously improve, invest in the training and ongoing education of our employees and broaden our service portfolio. General planning, supply chain transformation and production & logistics respond to the changed demand of the customers for solutions across the entire supply chain. We strive to increase the availability for our customers both on a national and international level. For this purpose we have decided to expand our branch in Shanghai and establish our third office in Germany in Munich.”

In February 1973 Dr. Joachim Miebach founded an engineering office for the planning and realization of logistics facilities and material flow processes. Only nine years later (1982) the first office abroad opened up in Barcelona – it was the start of the internationalization of Miebach Consulting. During the 1990s the consultants expanded their international presence with locations in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and the USA. As a result of the change in consumer demand we adapted our service portfolio – today it includes all aspects of logistics and supply chain. The Miebach-specific supply chain engineering approach – meaning the consideration of the entire supply chain and the integration of strategy, technology, IT as well as People & Organization - shapes the consulting concept down to the present day. This approach results in a sustainable competitive advantage for Miebach’s customers.

Germany, 10 April 2013

Ground­break­ing Ex­pan­sion at Al­fred Kärch­er GmbH & Co. KG

With the simultaneous conclusion of three construction projects at the Obersontheim site, the family company of Kärcher has laid the foundations for further growth. On April 10th, the new logistics center in Obersontheim was officially...

With the simultaneous conclusion of three construction projects at the Obersontheim site, the family company of Kärcher has laid the foundations for further growth. On April 10th, the new logistics center in Obersontheim was officially inaugurated; at 31 million euros, it is the largest material investment ever made by the global market leader for cleaning technology. In addition, Kärcher expanded the office building of the logistics center as well as the neighboring plant for a total of 9 million euros.

“For the future of the company as a whole, it was essential to expand and upgrade our logistics center. The distribution logistics form the physical connection between the manufacturer and the customer. That is why this expansion project is so central to our 2020 strategy, which will be orienting the entire company toward the customer. With our new logistics concept, we can further improve services for our customers and expand our international competitive power,” says Chief Executive Officer Hartmut Jenner.

The supply-chain specialists from Miebach Consulting supported this major project from the beginning in 2009 to the final building acceptance. “The consistency of the logistical consulting services, from planning the concept to realization to employee training, was very helpful when it came to meeting the ambitious schedule for the construction project, and it was a valuable addition to the overall success of this strategic logistics project for Kärcher,” says Bernhard Stock, the project manager from Miebach Consulting.

Capacity doubled

The Obersontheim logistics site, which primarily handles accessories and replacement parts, now has 35,000 m² of usable space with an automatic high-rack and small-parts warehouse (the latter with 80,000 storage positions) as well as a wide-aisle and rapid turnaround warehouse. The project created more than 23,000 additional pallet spaces, 15,400 of them in the new high-rack warehouse –more than doubling the available capacity. Thanks to a new warehouse management system and the redesigned loading ramps, more than 14,000 delivery-slip items will be able to be processed in a day, and 4,500 packages sent out.